The best bet for stretching your food budget -- use every bit of what you buy. Even stale bread.

The Italians have understood this for a long time. Which explains their panzanella, or bread salad. This summery salad features stale bread, ripe tomatoes and almost anything else you have in your vegetable bin, including carrots, bell peppers, even diced avocado.

To make this salad (which costs less than $1 per serving) into a more substantial meal, just dig deeper into your pantry or fridge. Canned tuna, sardines, anchovies or leftover cold chicken and hard-boiled eggs all add convenient and satisfying protein.

If you don't have any leftover bread, look in the bakery section at your market where they often sell day-old bread cheap.

Another good way to use stale bread is baked French toast. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray, then layer the bread in the dish until it nearly fills it. For a particularly lush version, spread some jam between the layers.

In a bowl, whisk together milk and eggs. About 1 cup of milk and four eggs are enough for a small (8-by-8-inch) pan. Whisk in some cinnamon and a few tablespoons of sugar, then pour the mixture over the bread. Press the bread to help it soak up the liquid.

Let the French toast sit for about 30 minutes (refrigerated) before baking. It also can be covered and refrigerated overnight. Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes.

LEFTOVER BREAD AND TOMATO SALAD

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons balsamic or red wine vinegar

2 shallots, minced (about 1/3 cup)

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, diced and seeded

4 cups cubed, crusty bread (such as Italian or French)

1 cucumber, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces

10 fresh basil leaves, shredded

In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, shallots, salt and pepper.